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Tap

//tæp// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun

1
The station code of Tai Po Market in Hong Kong.
2
Initialism of The Ada Project. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism

Noun

1
A conical peg or pin used to close and open the hole or vent in a container.
2
A light blow or strike with a clear sound; a gentle rap; a pat; also, the sound made by such a blow or strike. countable, uncountable
"When Steve felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around."
3
A malarial fever. East, India, uncountable
"According to the Yunani hakims dengue is a "tap safrow"—a fever due to excess of bile, and it is wonderful the amount of dark colored bile that passes away after a purgative, especially if that is not administered until the third day."
4
Initialism of talk aloud protocol. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
5
a light touch or stroke wordnet

Show 26 more definitions

6
An object with a tapering conical form like a tap (etymology 1 sense 1); specifically, ellipsis of taproot (“long, tapering root of a plant”). broadly
7
The smallest amount of work; a stroke of work. countable, informal, uncountable
"For to the first floor his duties never took him, at this period, nor to the second, once he had made his bed, and swept clean his little room, which he did every morning the first thing, before coming down, on an empty stomach. Whereas Erskine never did a tap on the ground floor, but all his duties were on the first floor."
8
Initialism of think aloud protocol. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
9
the act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information wordnet
10
A hollow device used to control the flow of a fluid, such as an alcoholic beverage from a cask, or a gas or liquid in a pipe. broadly
"We don’t have bottled water; you’ll have to get it from the tap."
11
One of the metal pieces attached to the sole of a tap dancer's shoe at the toe and heel to cause a tapping sound. countable, uncountable
12
Initialism of total audience package: an offering that includes ads broadcast during every part of the schedule. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
13
a plug for a bunghole in a cask wordnet
14
A hollow device used to control the flow of a fluid, such as an alcoholic beverage from a cask, or a gas or liquid in a pipe.; A procedure that removes fluid from a body cavity; paracentesis. broadly, informal
"abdominal tap pleural tap spinal tap"
15
A shot fired from a firearm. countable, slang, uncountable
16
a tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads wordnet
17
Liquor drawn through a tap (etymology 1 sense 2.2); hence, a certain kind or quality of liquor; also (figurative, informal), a certain kind or quality of any thing. broadly
"a liquor of the same tap"
18
An act of touching a button, icon, or specific location on the touch screen of an electronic device such as a mobile phone to invoke a function. countable, uncountable
19
a small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing) wordnet
20
A device used to listen in secretly on telephone calls or other communications. broadly
21
A single muscle contraction in vocal organs causing a consonant sound; also, the sound so made. countable, uncountable
22
a faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask wordnet
23
A secret interception of telephone calls or other communications using such a device; also, a recording of such a communication. broadly
"telephone tap"
24
A piece of leather or other material fastened upon the bottom of an item of footwear when repairing the heel or sole; also (England, dialectal) the sole of an item of footwear. British, US, countable, dialectal, uncountable
"She had a good figure, was twenty-one, five-feet-five, hair probably brown (dyed blond), brown cloth coat, rabbit-skin collar, cotton print dress, brown calf shoes (heel taps a little run over), scuff on the right toe."
25
the sound made by a gentle blow wordnet
26
A situation where a borrowing government authority issues bonds over a period of time, usually at a fixed price, with volumes sold on a particular day dependent on market conditions. broadly
"bond tap tap issue"
27
Ellipsis of tap dance. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable
"Now, until you get to wearing block shoes, the same sandals do for everything except tap, and the world doesn't come to an end if you just wear your tunic knickers and a shirt for tap; but when we could get the stuff there was all that changing into rompers, and we'd special satin sandals for ballet. It was change, change, all the time."
28
a gentle blow wordnet
29
A cylindrical tool used to cut an internal screw thread in a hole, with cutting edges around the lower end and an upper end to which a handle is fitted to turn the tool. broadly
"We drilled a hole and then cut the threads with the proper tap to match the valve’s thread."
30
Ellipsis of taphouse or taproom (“place where alcoholic beverages are served on tap”). British, abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, ellipsis
"[H]ere has been nothing but canting and praying ſince the fellovv entered the place.—Rabbit him! the tap vvill be ruined—vve han't ſold a caſk of beer, nor a dozen of vvine, ſince he paid his garniſh—the gentlemen get drunk vvith nothing but your damned religion.— […]"
31
A connection made to an electrical or fluid conductor without breaking it; a tapping. British, broadly
"The system was barely keeping pressure due to all of the ill-advised taps along its length."

Verb

1
To furnish (a container, etc.) with a tap (noun etymology 1 sense 2.2) so that liquid can be drawn. broadly, transitive
"There's a very pretty brew in tap at The Pure Drop—though, to be sure, not so good as at Rolliver's."
2
To strike (someone or something), chiefly lightly with a clear sound, but sometimes hard. transitive
"She tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention."
3
make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently wordnet
4
To draw off (a liquid) from a container or other source; also, to draw off a liquid from (a container or other source). transitive
"He tapped the ten-year-old whiskey from its barrel."
5
To strike (someone or something), chiefly lightly with a clear sound, but sometimes hard.; Also in the form tap on the shoulder: to arrest (someone). slang, transitive
"We are certainly scented here, and I walk about like a barrel of beer at Christmas, under hourly apprehension of being tapped!"

Show 39 more definitions

6
draw from; make good use of wordnet
7
To draw off (a liquid) from a container or other source; also, to draw off a liquid from (a container or other source).; To drain off fluid from (a person or a body cavity) by paracentesis. informal, transitive
"It is a hard thing to empty the vvater contained in the breaſt, becauſe the vvaies are not open by vvhich it ſhould be brought forth. Therefore Hippocrates doth adviſe to open the ſide, vvhich becauſe vve never ſee practiſed, and never read in any Author that it vvas done vvith good ſucceſs, vve cannot abſolutely approve; and vve may ſpeak of it as vve have of the Opening or Tapping for the Dropſie, in its proper Chapter."
8
To strike (someone or something), chiefly lightly with a clear sound, but sometimes hard.; To have sexual intercourse with (someone). slang, transitive, vulgar
"I would tap that hot girl over there."
9
strike lightly wordnet
10
To break into or open up (a thing) so as to obtain something; to exploit, to penetrate; tap into. figuratively, transitive
"Businesses are trying to tap the youth market."
11
To strike (someone or something), chiefly lightly with a clear sound, but sometimes hard.; To shoot (someone or something) with a firearm. slang, transitive
"Heard that, too, Rose said. A thirtyeight revolver. Only you tapped him with a rifle from a hundred yards out."
12
cut a female screw thread with a tap wordnet
13
To deplete (something); to tap out. figuratively, transitive
"At the range of a couple of hundred yards we emptied our magazines, firing bullet after bullet into the beasts, but with no more effect than if we were pelting them with pellets of paper. Their slow reptilian natures cared nothing for wounds, and the springs of their lives, with no special brain centre but scattered throughout their spinal cords, could not be tapped by any modern weapons."
14
To (lightly) touch (a finger, foot, or other body part) on a surface, often repeatedly. transitive
"You can pay by tapping your card."
15
pierce in order to draw a liquid from wordnet
16
To ask or beg for (something) to be given for free; to cadge, to scrounge; also, to ask or beg (someone) to give something for free. figuratively, informal, transitive
"I tried to tap a cigarette off him, but he wouldn’t give me one."
17
To (lightly) touch (a finger, foot, or other body part) on a surface, often repeatedly.; To lightly touch a touchscreen, usually an icon or button, to activate a function. transitive
"Next, tap on the browser to get on the internet."
18
draw (liquor) from a tap wordnet
19
To connect a listening and/or recording device to (a communication cable or device) in order to listen in secretly on telephone calls or other communications; also, to secretly listen in on and/or record (a telephone call or other communication). figuratively, transitive
"They can’t tap the phone without a warrant."
20
To (lightly) touch (a finger, foot, or other body part) on a surface, often repeatedly.; To lightly and repeatedly touch (a person or one or more body parts) as part of various forms of psychological treatment. transitive
"The therapist tapped him when he was overcome by anxiety."
21
dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes wordnet
22
To turn over (a playing card or playing piece) to remind players that it has already been used in that round. figuratively, transitive
23
To force (an opponent) to submit, chiefly by indicating their intention to do so by striking a hand on the ground several times; to tap out. transitive
"Hard to believe Kimo [Leopoldo] used a triangle choke to tap [Kazushi] Sak[uraba], but 4 years can make a difference."
24
walk with a tapping sound wordnet
25
To force (an opponent) to place all their poker chips in the pot (that is, to go all in) by wagering all of one's own chips. figuratively, transitive
"I think there's an expression in poker. I'll tap you, Mr. Maverick."
26
To invoke a function on an electronic device such as a mobile phone by touching (a button, icon, or specific location on its touch screen). transitive
"Tap the Save Image button to save the picture in your iPod touch or iPhone photo library (in the Saved Images album) or tap Cancel to cancel."
27
make light, repeated taps on a surface wordnet
28
To remove a taproot from (a plant). transitive
29
To repair (an item of footwear) by putting on a new heel or sole, or a piece of material on to the heel or sole. British, US, dialectal, transitive
"to tap shoes"
30
tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information wordnet
31
To cut an internal screw thread in (a hole); also, to cut (an internal screw thread) in a hole, or to create an internally threaded hole in (something). transitive
"Tap an M3 thread all the way through the hole."
32
To choose or designate (someone) for a duty, an honour, membership of an organization, or a position. US, informal, transitive
"He was tapped by the president to act as a special counsel."
33
draw from or dip into to get something wordnet
34
To cut an external screw thread into (a bolt or rod) to create a screw. transitive
35
Often followed by at or on: to strike lightly with a clear sound; also, to make a sharp noise through this action. intransitive
"The tree was swaying in the breeze and tapping on the window pane."
36
furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it wordnet
37
To put (a screw or other object) in or through another thing. transitive
38
To walk by striking the ground lightly with a clear sound. intransitive
"Our England for ever! Ten thouſand French, my brave Lad! I am going to tap avvay directly."
39
To click on something, usually a device. transitive
"He tapped on the Whatsapp icon on his phone."
40
Of a bell, a drum, etc.: to make a sharp noise, often as a signal. intransitive
41
To act as a tapster; to draw an alcoholic beverage from a container. intransitive
"Ile entertaine Bardolfe. He ſhall tap, he ſhall dravv."
42
To submit to an opponent, chiefly by indicating an intention to do so by striking a hand on the ground several times; to tap out. intransitive
43
To spend money, etc., freely. intransitive, obsolete
"A certain country gentleman began to tap upon the first information he received of sir Roger's death: when he sent me up word that, if I would get him chosen in the place of the deceased, he would present me with a barrel of the best October I had ever drank in my life."
44
Of a hare or rabbit: to strike the ground repeatedly with its feet during the rutting season. intransitive, obsolete
"[A] Bore ſcreameth: a Hare & a Cony beateth or tappeth: a Fox barketh: […] when they ſeeke or hunt after their mates."

Etymology

Etymology 1

The noun is derived from Middle English tappe (“hollow device for controlling the flow of liquid from a hole, cock, faucet, spigot; hole through which the liquid flows; the liquid which thus flows”), from Old English tæppa, from Proto-West Germanic *tappō, from Proto-Germanic *tappô (“a plug, tap; peg; tapering stick”), from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂p- (“to lose; to sacrifice”). Doublet of tapa. The verb is derived from Middle English tappen (“to obtain (liquid, chiefly liquor) from a tap; to obtain and sell (liquor)”), from Old English tæppian (“to provide (a container) with a stopper; to obtain (liquid) from a tap”), and then either: * from Old English tæppa (see above) + -ian (suffix forming verbs); or * from Proto-Germanic *tappōną, from *tappô (noun) (see above). Verb etymology 1 sense 1.3.5 (“to turn over (a playing card or playing piece) to remind players that it has already been used in that round”) alludes to the abilities or resources of the card or piece having been drawn on to the point of temporary exhaustion: see verb etymology 1 sense 1.3.2.

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

The verb is derived from Middle English tappen, teppen (“to give (something) a knock or tap; to hit (something) lightly, pat, tap”), either: * imitative of the making of a tapping sound; or * from Old French tapper, taper (“to tap”) (modern French taper), from Frankish *tappōn, *dabbōn (“to strike”), or from Middle Low German tappen, tapen (“to rap, strike, tap”), both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *dab- (“to strike”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰebʰ- (“to beat, strike; to stun; to be speechless”). Doublet of dab. Verb etymology 2 sense 1.1.1 (“to arrest (someone)”) and etymology 2 sense 1.6 (“to choose or designate (someone) for a duty, etc.”) allude to a police officer or other person tapping someone on their shoulder to catch their attention or to select them. The noun is derived from Middle English tap, tappe (“light blow or hit”), and then either: * from Middle English tappen (verb) (see above); or * from Old French tape (“light slap or touch, pat”) (modern French tape), from tapper, taper (verb) (see above). Cognates * German tappen (“to fumble; to grope”) * Icelandic tappa, tapsa, tæpta (“to tap”)

Etymology 4

Etymology 5

From Persian or Urdu تب (tab, “malarial fever”), ultimately from Sanskrit ताप (tāpa, “fever; heat; pain, torment”).

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